How to grow golden-edged winter daphne? A detailed guide to home cultivation techniques
1. Potting soil
The pot size should be moderate, and the plant should be shallow-planted in loose, slightly acidic soil containing humus. The potting soil ratio is garden soil : leaf mold : sand = 4:4:2. After mixing the soil, it is best to sterilize it by exposing it to the sun.
2. Repotting
Daphne is generally repotted once every 2 years, and repotting is done in early spring before the buds sprout. After removing the daphne from its pot, remove the outer layer of soil around the roots, keep the soil around the roots, add new potting soil, and replant at the same depth as before. If the plant is relatively large, it should be moved to a larger pot. After planting, firm the potting soil, water thoroughly, and place it in a cool, ventilated place for 10 to 15 days before carrying out normal cultivation and care.
3. Watering
Golden-edged winter daphne has leathery, glossy leaves that contain a large amount of wax, so the leaves transpire very little. Therefore, it is not tolerant of wetness, and watering should generally follow the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings. In early spring when the buds are about to sprout, water thoroughly once, and afterward water thoroughly only after the potting soil has dried out. In summer, in addition to keeping the potting soil alternately dry and moist, it is also necessary to spray water around the plant and on the leaves at regular intervals to lower the temperature. In late autumn, keep the potting soil semi-dry to slow growth, which helps it overwinter. In winter, when growth stagnates, the potting soil should be on the dry side, and watering should be reduced.
4. Fertilizing
Golden-edged winter daphne does not like heavy fertilizer. Normally, applying a once-monthly dilute liquid fertilizer made from decomposed organic matter is sufficient. Applying a dilute liquid fertilizer once before and after flowering can make the plant lush with fragrant flowers and vivid colors. However, the following points should be noted when fertilizing:
① Do not splash or get fertilizer liquid on the leaves.
② Fertilizing should be done when the potting soil is dry.
③ Avoid applying human feces and urine or chemical fertilizers.
2. Growth habits
It likes semi-shade and ventilated environments, fears scorching sun, and is not tolerant of prolonged drought. It prefers fertile, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic loam, has strong sprouting ability, and tolerates pruning.3. Geographical distribution
It is distributed in China and the Indochinese Peninsula, and is only cultivated in Japan. We examined a large number of specimens in major herbaria in our country and found no wild specimens; it is only cultivated in some parks or gardens. From this it appears that this species is a cultivated species, widely cultivated in both China and Japan, and rarely found in the wild.4. Taxonomy
Daphne, aliases: Shuixiang, Lujia, Fengliushu, Penglaihua, Qianlixiang, Ruilan, Shendinghua, Penglaizi, Duopixiang, Latin name: Daphne odora Thunb. Angiospermae; Dicotyledoneae; Myrtales; Thymelaeaceae; Daphne; Daphne odora.5. Species under the genus
Daphne(Guo Tuotuo Zhongshu Shu) Shuixiang, Lujia, Fengliushu (Qunfangpu), Penglaihua (Huajing), Qianlixiang, Ruilan (Henry's Chinese Seed Plant Name List), Shendinghua, Penglaizi, Duopixiang (New Compendium of Materia Medica)Daphne odora Thunb. Fl. Jap. 159. 1784; Sims in Curtis′s Bot. Mag. 38: t. 1587. 1813; Keiss. in Bot. Jahrb. 25: 89. 1898; Matsum. et Hayata, Pl. Formos. 354. 1906; Rehd. in Sarg. Pl. Wils. 2: 545. 1916; H. Winkl. in Fedde, Repert. Sp. Nov. Beih. 12: 441. 1922; Kanehira, Formos. Trees, ed. Rev. 482. 1936. ——D. triflora Lour. Pl. Cochinch. 1: 236. 1790. ——D. japonica Thunb. in Mus. Acad. Upsal. 13: 106. 1792. ——D. mazeli Carr. in Rev. Hort. 1872: 392. t. 1872. ——D. odora Thunb. var. mazeli (Carr.) Hemsl. in Gardeniana 14: 442. t. 1878.
Daphne(original form) Plate 67: 1-5
f. odora.
Golden-edged winter daphne(form) (Chinese Tree Taxonomy)
f. marginata Makino in Bot. Mag. Tokyo 23: 69. 1909; Hamaya in Bull. Tokyo. Univ. Forests. 55: 69. 1959.
Leaf margins pale yellow, center green.
Cultivated in major cities in our country. Also cultivated in Japanese gardens. In addition to being ornamental, the roots of this form can be used medicinally; the stem bark fiber can be used as a raw material for papermaking.
Types
White-flowered daphne, flower color pure white;
Red-flowered daphne, flowers red;
Purple-flowered daphne, flowers purple;
Yellow-flowered daphne, flowers yellow;
Golden-edged winter daphne, leaf margins golden yellow, flower buds red, opening white; hairy daphne, flowers white, outer surface of the perianth densely covered with gray-yellow silky soft hairs; golden-edged winter daphne is the finest among daphnes, and there is a saying: "The peony is the national beauty and heavenly fragrance, but among daphne flowers, the golden-edged one is the best";
Rose daphne, petals white inside and pale red outside;
Concave-leaved daphne, leaf margins revolute, apex blunt with a small notch.
6. Cultivation techniques
Planting methods
Daphne propagation is mainly bycuttings, and can also be done bylayering, graftingorsowing. Cuttings are mostly taken before Qingming and Lixia, and can also be done in autumn. Cut sturdy top branches 8-10 cm long, keep 2-3 leaves, soak in a rooting promoter, then insert into a sand bed to a depth of 1/2 to 1/3 of the total length, then shade immediately; roots form in about 40 days. When taking daphne cuttings, folk practice often involves splitting the lower end of the cutting and inserting a stone the size of a grain of rice to increase the contact surface between the cutting and the substrate, which helps rooting. When taking cuttings at Liqiu, the cutting bed can be covered with film to increase temperature. For field-grown daphne, transplanting requires keeping a soil ball and is done in spring or autumn; apply base fertilizer before frost, then topdress 1-2 more times, and apply one more flower-promoting fertilizer before winter. For potted daphne, first choose a cultivation substrate that both retains water and drains well, mostly pond mud. Because daphne likes fertilizer, it should be topdressed at any time, but human feces and urine should not be used. Flower pots should avoid direct sunlight, and shading is necessary in summer.Cutting propagation
Golden-edged winter daphne likes sunlight but fears scorching sun, tolerates dryness but avoids waterlogging, and is best planted in potting soil made of sun-exposed pond mud and humus. Flowering at Spring Festival can be ensured by controlling light, temperature, and moisture.
Golden-edged winter daphne does not set seed after flowering and is mainly propagated by cuttings, which can be done in spring, summer, and autumn, with summer cuttings having the highest survival rate. Select semi-lignified branches of the current year for cuttings; the cut should be smooth, and scissors or blades should be sterilized at high temperature with an alcohol lamp or lighter. Cut the branches into 8 cm lengths, retain 4-6 leaves, soak the inserted portion in a special rooting agent, then dip in carbendazim powder, and insert 3/5 of the plant into the growing medium. The growing medium is rice husk ash burned until carbonized but not ashed, extinguished by pouring cold water over it, then scalded with boiling water or treated with potassium permanganate solution to remove alkalinity and sterilize. Cover with film for 15 days to retain moisture; roots generally form in 30 days, and transplanting into pots is done at 50 days. It is best to apply decomposed human feces and urine or cake fertilizer water fermented with air isolation, applying small amounts frequently and appropriately increasing phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Combine pruning for shaping with pest control to make golden-edged winter daphne upright and elegant. By Spring Festival of that year, it can produce bursts of strongly fragrant, brilliantly colored flowers, and after the second year it can grow into a large ornamental bonsai with a graceful posture.
Field management
Propagation can be done by cuttings in spring, summer, and autumn. Spring cuttings are taken from late February to late March, selecting sturdy annual branches about 10 cm long, removing the lower leaves and retaining 2-3 leaves, then inserting into the seedbed; summer cuttings are taken from mid-June to mid-July; autumn cuttings are taken from late August to late September, all selecting current-year branches. For summer and autumn cuttings, cut vigorous current-year branches, and the base of the cutting is best with an internode, which is more conducive to rooting. Insert into a river sand pot to about 2/3 depth, shade after insertion, and keep moist but not overly wet; roots can form in 45-60 days. If the base of the cutting is dipped in woody plant rooting powder, it is even more conducive to rooting.Air layering propagation should be carried out in March-April when the plant sprouts new buds. First select 1-2-year-old vigorous branches, make a 1-2 cm wide ring girdle, then wrap the cut with plastic sheeting, fill it with soil, tie the lower end tightly, and tie the upper end of the plastic sheeting tightly as well, but leave a small hole for ventilation and watering, keeping the soil in the bag moist; roots generally form after more than 2 months. After autumn, cut it off from the mother plant and pot it or plant it elsewhere.
It likes a warm environment, fears scorching sun, likes shade, and fears cold. In summer, shade it and protect it from rain and strong wind; in winter, place it indoors in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot and maintain a room temperature above 8°C. Keep the leaf surface clean and keep the potting soil from becoming too dry or too wet; do not let it freeze, and do not let the room contain coal smoke or cooking fumes. It likes loose, fertile, well-drained acidic soil (pH 6 to 6.5); avoid alkaline soil. Mountain soil or rural garden soil mixed with 40% peat soil, leaf mold, pine needle soil, and an appropriate amount of coal ball ash, rice husk ash, urban waste, etc. can be used as the growing medium. When cultivating, choose semi-shaded, semi-sunny sites with deep topsoil and moisture. To avoid direct sunlight while still allowing sunlight in winter, the method of mixed planting with deciduous trees and shrubs is often used. Transplanting can be done in both spring and autumn, but transplanting during the spring flowering period or the plum rain period is preferable. Mature trees do not tolerate transplanting; when transplanting, keep as much original soil as possible and also prune heavily.
For management after planting, open-field cultivation is relatively extensive; water only when the weather is too dry; before overwintering, apply some decomposed barnyard manure around the plant clump. For potted daphne, keep the potting soil half-dry and half-moist, and apply fertilizer once each in spring and autumn. In spring, during the bud sprouting and shoot growing period, use a 30% decomposed mixed liquid fertilizer of soybean cake and chicken manure; in autumn, in late September, the fertilizer concentration should be light. Fertilizing time should be chosen on sunny days with sunlight, preferably before 10 a.m. After 5 p.m. on the day of fertilizing, spray water once on the leaf surface. The water cannot be newly drawn tap water; it is best to use water that has been exposed to sunlight or water stored indoors for a day, and the water temperature cannot be lower than the indoor temperature. Do not splash fertilizer liquid on the leaf surface; if it is splashed on the leaf surface, immediately rinse it off with water from a watering can. Fertilizer should be mainly nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, that is, commonly a mixture of cake fertilizer and fishy fertilizer. But it must be fully fermented fertilizer liquid, and a small amount of black alum water should be added. Daphne should not be fertilized heavily; it should be light and dilute. Note that fertilizing is not suitable when the potting soil is too wet or the temperature is too high or too low. From early summer, potted daphne should be placed under tree shade or in a shade shed to avoid strong light. The pot should not be placed directly on the ground, so that the flower's fragrance does not attract ants and earthworms. Daphne tolerates pruning relatively well. Generally, before sprouting, densely growing small branches can be pruned away, leaving certain gaps to facilitate ventilation and light penetration. Daphne should be shaped and pruned after flowering, cutting short branches that have flowered and removing leggy branches, overlapping branches, overly dense branches, crossing branches, and other branches that affect the beauty of the tree shape, so as to maintain a graceful form. Daphne should be repotted and have its soil changed once every 2 to 3 years, generally after the flowers fade, and also possible in autumn. When repotting, remove 2/3 of the old soil and appropriately trim away some overly long fibrous roots; combined with repotting, the roots can be appropriately raised.
Before Qingming Festival at the end of March, daphne can be moved outdoors, but it must be protected from strong wind and heavy rain to avoid damaging the newly sprouted tender buds. By the end of April, gradually shorten the light duration. From mid-June to mid-September, it can be without light all day. Because by summer daphne basically stops growing and enters a semi-dormant state. During this period, protect it from heavy rain and strictly prohibit fertilizing. It is also necessary to create a cool, ventilated, good environment for it and reduce the amount of watering. After daphne passes the summer, from late September to early October it can receive some morning sunlight, 2 to 3 hours is good, and afterward the light duration can be gradually extended; by the end of October it can receive all-day sunlight. According to different local climatic conditions, in October or early November daphne should be moved indoors, and after being moved indoors it should be placed in a position with long light duration. In mid-November and early and late December, apply a thin fertilizer liquid once each. Because daphne's flower buds grow slowly, fertilizer should not be applied too frequently, too much, or too concentrated, but it also cannot be omitted.
Golden-edged winter daphne has poor sexual reproductive ability and is mostly propagated by vegetative organs. Therefore, seedlings are in short supply and expensive. Vegetative propagation of golden-edged winter daphne can be carried out all year round, usually by cuttings, grafting, air layering, and other methods. The following introduces water cuttings and bud cuttings propagation methods. Water cuttings and bud cuttings
Water cuttings.Water cuttings are generally carried out in summer, when new branches tend to mature, making it a good season for water cuttings. The water cutting method roots quickly and has a high survival rate (almost 100%), and can reduce the number of water sprays. The specific method is: take current-year branches 8-12 cm long. The day before cutting, it is best to use a sharp knife to cut a ring at 1-2 mm from the branching point (do not use scissors), which can accelerate healing and rooting. After ring-cutting at the branching point, smooth the wound, remove the leaves from the lower half of the branch, retain 3-4 leaves on the upper part, and cut off the rest. Then insert it into a previously prepared wide-mouth bottle. Fill the bottle with about 3/4 water and add 2-3 drops of vinegar. The cutting should be about 1/3 in the water, held upright and fixed. Cover the bottle mouth with gauze and tie it tightly. After insertion, place it on an indoor windowsill. When the water decreases, add water to the original level. After about 5 days, spray water on the leaf surface 1-2 times, change the water once a week, and roots can form within one month. Transplant into pots in time.
Bud cuttings.Bud cuttings are carried out before sprouting in spring. Select plump, vigorous current-year branches from the middle and upper part of the crown for cuttings, retain one leaf on the upper part, and there should be an obvious bud point at the leaf axil; a cutting with one leaf, one bud, and one segment is best. When taking the cutting, use a sharp knife, cut downward from above the axillary bud, cut diagonally, and shape it into a horseshoe form, being careful not to damage the axillary bud, so as to facilitate rooting and sprouting. Use pine needle soil plus 30% fine sand as the cutting substrate, which facilitates the insertion and fixing of short cuttings. Note that before cutting, the pine needle soil and fine sand substrate must be exposed to the sun for disinfection. When cutting, insert 1/2 into the soil, press firmly after insertion, sprinkle a little water, keep moist, and roots and survival can occur in about 40 days. After new branches grow, transplant into pots in the following spring.
Bonsai making
Material selection and cultivation measures[Artificial propagation]: Daphne is mostly propagated by cuttings and layering, and can also be propagated by water cuttings, division, and sowing. Cuttings can be taken all year round, but early March to late June is the best time for cuttings. For spring cuttings, select sturdy annual branches as cuttings, about 5-10 cm long. The day before cutting, use a sharp knife to make a ring cut at 0.1 cm from the branching point to promote healing and rooting. For those ring-cut at the branching point, cut them off at the right time and smooth the cut, retaining 2-4 leaves on the upper part of the cutting; for those not ring-cut at the branching point, if there are several divisions they can be separated for cutting. The insertion depth is about 1/3 or 1/2, and it should not be too deep. For home cuttings, a cutting pot can be used; for large-scale cuttings, a seedbed must be used, and the seedbed soil should preferably be loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. After insertion, a protective shed must be built to prevent sun and rain (bamboo strips can be arched into a 50-60 cm high frame and covered with plastic film). When the temperature is too high, a corner of the film shed must be opened for ventilation, and moisture should be controlled, not too wet. Generally, spring cuttings can root in about 30 days, and can be divided and transplanted in about 2 months. If cutting in summer and autumn, the cuttings must be selected from semi-lignified new branches of the current year, and sturdy branches should be chosen, about 8 cm long, with a heel on the branch. After insertion, keep the seedbed soil moist, and pay attention to heat preservation when the temperature drops. Generally, roots can also form in about 40 days, and transplanting and cultivation are carried out after the weather warms in the following spring.
[Layering propagation]: Usually the air layering method can be used. Air layering is best done in May-June. First select suitable branches, determine the air layering site, use the scoring method to make one or two horizontal cuts or a ring girdle at the layered site, with the cut reaching the xylem, then wrap the cut site with a plastic bag or half-split bamboo tube, tie the lower end tightly, apply growth hormone to the wound, then fill in prepared growing soil, and tie the upper end of the bag tightly. Keep the soil in the bag moist, and fix the air-layered branch well to avoid breaking. Generally, roots can form in about 40-50 days, and after about 2 months it can be cut from the mother branch and potted for cultivation. Propagating daphne by water cuttings is simple and easy, and the survival rate is also relatively high.
Potting process[Pot selection]: Daphne is best grown in a slightly deep round pot or square pot; oval or rectangular pots are also acceptable. The pot texture is best purple clay pottery. The pot color can be chosen as sunflower yellow or light gray, to set off the green leaves and white flowers and produce a enhancing effect.
[Soil]: Daphne likes to grow in fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam, requiring slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6 and 6.5. For potting, leaf mold or sun-dried, weathered rural garden soil mixed with an appropriate amount of rice husk ash or sandy soil can be used.
[Planting]: Potting is best done in April in spring. At this time the climate is mild and humid, and the temperature difference between day and night is small, which is conducive to daphne adapting to the pot and growing. Autumn planting is also acceptable. When transplanting, more original soil must be kept, and the branches should be appropriately pruned.
Shaping techniques
[Processing]: Daphne bonsai is best shaped by wire training combined with pruning. However, care must be taken to remove the wire in time to avoid wire embedding, which affects appearance and growth. Processing and shaping are best done during the dormant period, and can also be done after flowering.
[Tree shape]: The tree shape of daphne bonsai is best made into a natural large-tree form, with branches and trunk upright, elegant, and spreading, and attention should be paid to appropriate density so as to promote elegant branches and abundant flowers, rich color and fragrance, and increase the ornamental effect.
Maintenance and management
[Placement site]: Daphne bonsai should be placed in a warm, humid, semi-shaded, semi-sunny location. In summer, avoid exposure to sunlight; in winter, it is best placed under a south-facing window with light and air circulation.
[Watering]: Daphne is not tolerant of wetness. Normally the potting soil should be kept on the dry side and must not be waterlogged. In high summer temperatures, water twice a day in the morning and evening; in spring and autumn, watering should be reduced accordingly, but during the autumn bud formation period, note that the potting soil must not be too dry. When the weather is clear and dry, spray water on the leaf surface frequently so that the branches and leaves remain often moist, which is conducive to growth. In the rainy season, the pot can be moved under the eaves or a window to avoid rain.
[Fertilizing]: In winter, apply sufficient base fertilizer. In spring, apply 2-3 times decomposed cake fertilizer water; the fertilizer water should not be concentrated. During the dog days of summer, stop applying fertilizer to avoid burning the root system. After the beginning of autumn, apply thin fertilizer frequently until the flower buds open. In spring, apply fertilizer water mainly of nitrogen and potassium; after autumn, fertilizing should mainly be phosphorus. After the flower buds form, potassium dihydrogen phosphate at a concentration of 0.1-0.2% can be sprayed on the branches and leaves for foliar feeding, but the fertilizer water must be sprayed on the back of the leaves to improve fertilizer efficiency and promote abundant flowers and lush leaves. Daphne avoids the use of human feces and urine fertilizer.
[Pruning]: Daphne pruning is mostly done after flowering. Generally, branches that have flowered can be cut short to promote more branching and increase the number of flowers the following year. Remove leggy branches, crossing branches, and overlapping branches, and also promptly remove branches that affect appearance, so as to maintain a certain tree shape.
[Repotting]: It is best done once every 2-3 years, preferably after flowering in spring, and also possible in autumn. When repotting, keep more old soil; the root system should not be disturbed too much, and some overly long fibrous roots can be appropriately trimmed. Sufficient base fertilizer must be placed at the bottom of the pot.Winter care
During the day, place the daphne flower in a sunny spot to receive light, and at night move it to a place not lower than 5°C. In addition, avoid potting soil that is too wet, avoid applying concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer, and avoid rain. Usually observe the leaves of the daphne flower: if the leaves are upright and pointing upward, it indicates that fertilizer and water are normal; if the leaves droop, then the fertilizer used is too concentrated, too raw, or too frequent, or watering is too much or too frequent. Find out the cause and take corresponding measures. If watering is too much, it is easy to correct; if fertilization is improper, continuously water thoroughly so that the fertilizer drains out of the pot, then place it in a ventilated place so the potting soil dries quickly. If the roots have rotted, repot, cut off the rotten roots, wash them clean with a fungicide, then plant in sandy soil to let it grow new roots. The upper branches and leaves should also be pruned accordingly.
The potting soil should mainly be neutral, slightly acidic sandy soil, and in addition should be mixed with 40% leaf mold, pine needle soil, peat soil, or rice husk ash. Base fertilizer should not be applied to the potting soil; liquid fertilizer should be topdressed in a timely manner. Liquid fertilizer is best applied as a mixture of soybean water (grind or boil soybeans thoroughly, and ferment for at least 1 year. Soybean fertilizer is mild in nature, while animal-based fertilizers are more irritating) and potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution (a highly efficient and quick-acting phosphorus-potassium fertilizer; dilute the crystal granules with 1000 times water).
Pest and disease control
Daphne has relatively strong disease resistance, with occasional damage from aphids and red spider mites, which can be controlled by spraying 80% dichlorvos 1200 times solution or 0.5 degree Baume lime sulfur mixture. Daphne's root system has a sweet taste and easily attracts earthworms, so when repotting, all earthworms in the potting soil can be picked out. Normally, flower pots should not be placed directly on bare ground, to avoid earthworms entering from the bottom of the pot.On diseased plants, color spots and deformities appear on the leaf surface, and flowering is poor, with symptoms of heart rot. Control methods: before the arrival of high-temperature and high-humidity seasons, spray Bordeaux mixture 2-3 times and place in a cool place. If heart rot is found, promptly cut off the branches, leaves, and flowers and burn them to prevent spread. In particular, golden-edged winter daphne is delicate and difficult to grow, fearing humid and low-pressure climates. Cultivation should choose high, well-ventilated sites and strengthen protection.
There are three main causes of daphne leaf drop.
First, in midsummer, not only is the weather hot, but there are also many heavy rains, rainstorms, and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in particular come suddenly and with relatively high intensity, causing temperatures to drop sharply and very easily damaging daphne's fine roots;
Second, after the rain clears, water accumulates in the pot, and the plant is in an environment of being sunbaked above and steamed below, which obstructs root respiration and easily causes root rot;
Third, excessive fertilizing exceeds the plant's actual needs, causing toxicity and inhibiting plant growth. Or applying heavy fertilizer that has not been fermented and decomposed causes fertilizer damage to the root system.
When daphne develops problems, it is difficult to detect them at once. Even while its leathery leaves are still bright and green, it can suddenly drop all its leaves. For plants that have already lost their leaves, promptly remove them from the flower pot, rinse them clean with clear water, cut off all damaged and rotten roots, then replant them in a flower pot using medium-grained river sand, and place them in a well-ventilated shaded place. Frequently spray the plant and flower pot with a fine-nozzle watering can or sprayer, and keep the surrounding environment moist. After more than a month, small, not yet fully spreading leaves will sprout from the branches and trunk. At this time, move the plant to scattered light conditions, and the plant will carry out weaker photosynthesis, producing various organic substances for the plant's own metabolism and promoting the plant's return to normal growth. After the diseased plant has sprouted new roots, transplant it again into loose, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5.
Heart rot and root rot
The occurrence of heart rot and root rot in daphne cultivation is mainly caused by improper management. Daphne adapts to warm climates but is not tolerant of strong light and likes semi-shade; its roots are fleshy, tolerate dryness and dislike wetness. In high-temperature and high-humidity seasons, mosaic disease is likely to occur, and it can be prevented by spraying Bordeaux mixture 2-3 times before the arrival of high-temperature and high-humidity seasons. During the growth period, note not to apply heavy fertilizer or water heavily, and keep the potting soil in a semi-moist state. In summer, avoid windstorms, rain, and sun showers. If suddenly struck by wind and rain, it will immediately wilt and die. When such conditions are about to occur, move it indoors in advance to take shelter; if it has already been struck by wind and rain, promptly use a knife to make a longitudinal cut 1-1.5 cm long on a sturdy branch from the cortex to the xylem, so that excess water and gases in the plant body can be released, which helps normal growth. If the plant's leaves are found to droop, lose all luster, and develop fine wrinkles, it indicates that the roots have begun to rot. If it has just started, it can still be rescued: dig out the seedling, wash the roots clean with clear water, cut off the rotten roots, then move it into a new pot, cover with plastic film, and place in a cool place. If after two weeks the leaves are upright, it has been saved.
7. Main values
Medicinal value
According to the compilation in the "Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine," the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of daphne can all be used as medicine. It is sweet in nature and non-toxic, and has the functions of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, reducing inflammation and swelling, and promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Folk practice commonly uses fresh leaves pounded into a paste to treat sore throat, toothache, blood boils, and heat carbuncles, and uses the flowers soaked in wine to apply to nameless swellings and various skin diseases.[Aliases]: Xuedonghua, Xuehuapi, Duixuekai, Xuedikaihua, Xuedonghua, Jinyaodai, Tieniupi, Shanmianpi, Nuangufeng, Hongzongguan
[Source]: Daphne odora Thunb., a plant of the genus Daphne in the family Thymelaeaceae, with roots, bark, leaves, and flowers used as medicine. It can be collected all year round, and used dried or fresh.
This product also contains a large amount of umbelliferone.
[Medicinal properties]: When white daphnin is given orally to rabbits at 30-50 mg/kg, it can reduce blood coagulability, with the strongest effect on days 2-3, lasting 1-3 days.
As time is prolonged, blood tolerance to heparin decreases, and the activities of factors II, VII, and X decline.
Thromboelastography also shows prolongation of reaction time (τ) and clot formation (k).
This effect can be antagonized by vitamin K.
White daphnin can also promote the excretion of uric acid in the body.
The bark of the related plant Daphne mezereum, especially fresh bark (called white daphne bark), contains white daphne resin, which is a strong blistering agent. Oral administration can cause vomiting, bloody stools, etc., and absorbed poisoning can cause elevated body temperature, excitement, rapid pulse, and difficulty breathing, finally resulting in death from collapse.
[Nature, flavor, and meridian entry]: Pungent, sweet, warm.
[Functions and indications]: Dispels wind and removes dampness, promotes blood circulation and relieves pain. Used for rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, pharyngitis, toothache, early-stage breast cancer, and traumatic injuries.
[Usage and dosage]: 2-4 qian.
[Excerpt]: "Compilation of National Chinese Herbal Medicines"
Ornamental value
Landscape usesDaphne is most suitable for planting in forest clearings, along forest-edge roadsides, on hillside terraces, and on the shady sides of rockeries. If scattered among rocks, its charm is increased. Japanese gardens also greatly favor daphne, often pruning it into spherical shapes and planting it in front of pines and cypresses for. Daphne has high ornamental value; although its flowers are small, they cluster into masses, and the floral fragrance is fresh, elegant, and refined. Daphne root is sweet and salty, non-toxic, and mainly treats acute throat wind; the stem bark fiber is a good raw material for papermaking.
Flower appreciation
Daphne has a graceful tree posture, a round crown, soft branches and thick leaves, and spreading branches and trunk. Its flowers are abundant and fragrant, symbolizing auspiciousness. It is best appreciated during its flowering period in early spring in February. If earlier flowering is required, raise the temperature of the watering water 1 month before flowering, which can advance flowering by half a month; withholding water during full bloom can prolong the flowering period.
Daphne is a traditional famous flower of China, and there are many words of praise in ancient poetry. The Song Dynasty poet Wang Shipeng wrote in his poem "Daphne Flower": "Truly the auspicious one among flowers, its fame began to be heard in this dynasty."